The discovery followed the completion of its 2017 drilling campaign within the SK408 Production Sharing Contract (PSC).

In an exchange filing today, the Pepulut-1 exploration well was drilled and encountered high quality reservoir, which is located in Block SK408.

“This successful gas discovery is attributed to the strength and capabilities of our exploration, subsurface and drilling teams whose combined expertise has resulted in a number of significant discoveries.

“This series of successful results is founded on our work in understanding the geologic fundamentals of the region” said its president & group chief executive officer Tan Sri Shahril Shamsuddin.

Sabah Barisan Nasional chairman Musa Aman says he will instruct the state attorney-general to make an application for the state government to intervene in Petronas’ legal bid to claim ownership over the country’s petroleum resources.

Musa, who signed off as the chief minister, said in a statement that this was to safeguard Sabah’s oil and mineral resources.

“We will deploy all available resources of the state government to ensure that the best interest of Sabah is defended always,” he said.

Petronas is seeking a Federal Court declaration that, among others, that based on the Petroleum Development Act, 1974, it effectively has the exclusive authority over all petroleum activities in Malaysia.

Article 1(3) FC stipulates that territory of Sarawak would be the territory immediately before Malaysia Day and Sarawak’s boundaries shall not be altered except by a law passed by the State Legislature.

State legislative powers to issue permits and licenses for prospecting for mines; mining leases and certificates. Sarawak government and not federal Parliament or the federal government has the executive powers to issue such permits, licenses or leases for petroleum exploration, prospecting or mining.

SIX DAYS after former prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak announced the dissolution of Parliament, Petroliam Nasional Bhd (Petronas) received a letter from the Attorney General (AG) of Sarawak, which it knew it had to act on.

The letter effectively aimed to relieve Petronas as the undisputed guardian of oil and gas (O&G) resources in Malaysia and its powers to be shared with the state government-owned Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros).

Officials familiar with the matter say the biggest fear for Petronas was that its role as the authority for any O&G exploration works would be compromised not because of inadequate laws, but the weak political strength of the federal government.

Suarah Petroleum Group views the current developments in Sarawak oil and gas issues with great concern. Being an active contributor in this journey in redressing oil and gas equity and revenue for Sarawak, we call on all parties for clear heads to prevail and ask them to reduce the political “one-upmanship” between Sarawak and the newly elected federal government.

We also reiterate our mission to provide professional advice and services to maximise Sarawak’s socio-economic benefit and safeguard its rights in the oil and gas industry for its present and future generations.

He said the assurance was given by Prime Minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad during the first National Finance Council meeting under the Pakatan Harapan (PH) government here earlier that was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Azizah Wan Ismail and the mentris besar of Kelantan, Perak, and Johor as well as the secretaries-general of ministries.